I'm a self taught developer with nearly three decades of experience, still spending 10+ hours a week expanding my craft (reading/experimenting). But in the past 5-7 years have spent twice that time on food and nutrition science study. Part of that understanding research quality, not just quantity, and the value of different types of testing vs study.

To put it another way: if you could have acquired all of that knowledge without spending so much time and effort, then why didn't you?

I'm not sure what you are asking exactly. The initial response above seems to indicate that a person shouldn't speak on something outside their primary career. So my question is, at what point is one able to pass the bar of being able to speak to a subject materially?

>The initial response above seems to indicate that a person shouldn't speak on something outside their primary career.

Already addressed this in the very comment above that you replied to. This is incorrect.

Regarding where the "bar" is exactly, that is of course subjective. But I reject any idea that its subjectivity implies that all opinions are valid or whatever it is you're suggesting, because they're not. Some opinions are uninformed, and I have no problem saying so.